A Protoplanetary Disk and the Molecules Within (IMAGE)

Center for Astrophysics | Harvard & Smithsonian

A Protoplanetary Disk and the Molecules Within

Caption

In this artist’s conception, planets form from the gas and dust in the protoplanetary disk surrounding a young star. The gas is made up of many different molecules, including hydrogen cyanide and more complex nitriles—linked to the development of life on Earth. The soup of molecules in a particular location in the disk shapes the future of the planet forming there and determines whether or not that planet could support life as we know it.

Credit

M.Weiss/Center for Astrophysics | Harvard & Smithsonian

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License

CC BY-NC

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